St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-06
Oh ATEAU LIFE IN FRANCE.
Charming HOspitality---An Gut
door Existence Full of Delight

Charming HOspitality---An Gut
door Existence Full ofDeight. q
The chateau life in France is truly
charming, says ROuen letter to the
Springfield Republican. ROuen is but
dull place in the summer, though we
cannot complain of extreme heat. The
first warm weather is the signal for
closing the town houses, and the good
people settle themselves in their eOun-
try homes, where they live an outdoor
life of great enjoyment. 1t does not,
however. make them selfish, nor do
they forget their less fortunate friends
whose only glimpse of green grass and
flowers fbut for their hospitality would
be from their windows, making them
long for the freedom and freshness of
green fields. a
Our friend Nine. de Marias invited us
to Chateau d'Automne, about fourteen
miles from here. We could go by land
or water, and decided in favor of the
former, for the drive was all the way
through beautiful country, and we
wanted all the enjoyment possible for
our visit. We started in the early morn
ing with pair of good, strong Nor
mandy horses before a light open
wagon. Part of the way was up hill,
but the rise was so gradual that for sew
eral miles the Seine and its beautiful
banks were scarcely ever out of sight.
We approached the house through an
avenue of lines quite mile in length
fine old trees, whose branches meeting
formed lofty arch almost to the very
door. Our friends gave us most cor
dial welcome. After thorough dust
ing we sat down to substantial break
fast, to which our drive made us quite
ready to do full justice. After break
fast we were shown all oyer the place
by Nine. de MariaS, who is an English
lady married to a French count, whose
family had lived here-fOr short,we will
say forever.
During the revolution this chateau
was in state of siege. They were we'll
armed, the places for the guns still
showing, though most of them have
been closed. The greatest fear was lest
the provisions should give out. The
rooms are very large and handsome, the
billiard room is hung with fine old
tapestry of great value. The chapel is
a gem, and forms one end of the build
ing. The windows are of fine old
stained glass of quaint design. The
walls are beautifully frescoed, the cell
ing is of light blue, picked out with
gold stars. These hOspitable people
gather about them every year as many
of their family and friends as they can
stow away. and they had at this time as
guests several families; the children
alone numbered fourteen, the oldest be-
ing ten, while the youngest was not as
many months.
Everything was in the greatest
abundance, except water, but that you
cannot always buy. This chateau. with
all its charming surroundings, is sew
eral miles inland, and, owing to the
drought, the wells are empty, and
water had to he brought from great
distance for the supply of the family as
well as for the cattle. / do not know
if they were quite put to the strait that
a lady told me that she was last year.
She was stopping in the country when
the water gave out. You are not depend
ent upon it to quench your thirst, but
believe there is no substitute for toilet
purposes. There were several children
in the house and very little water. How
these children were to be bathed was
settled this way: the baby had the first
Tubing. the others taking it in turns.
Then the water was carefully strained
and put by for the next day. How the
elders managed we did not care to in
YeStigate.